Franklyn Turbak
of the Computer Science Department and Robbie
Berg of the Physics Department have developed a new course at
Wellesley College called Robotic Design Studio.

We believe that it is important to introduce liberal arts
students to the essence of engineering. Toward this end we have developed
Robotic Design Studio , a course where students learn how to design,
assemble, and program robots made out of LEGO parts, sensors, motors, and
small embedded computers. The course has no prerequisites and has
attracted students from a wide range of backgrounds. The course culminates
in a robot exhibition where students show off the robots that they have
designed and built. These creative projects tie together aspects of a
surprisingly wide range of disciplines. Robotic Design Studio represents
an alternative vision of how robot design can be used to teach engineering
in a way that is more inclusive and provides more room for artistic
expression than contest-centered formats.

No prerequisites.0.5 units of credit. NPS distribution
requirement.

Robotic Design Studio has been offered for academic credit during
WinterSessions of 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. (It is listed in the catalog as Physics
115 / Computer Science 115.)

SciBorg
- our first robot. On the first day of class, everyone gets a copy of a
SciBorg to play with. Detailed plans for constructing your own SciBorg are
posted at this link.

Colby
College Workshop - In October, 1997 Franklyn, Robbie, and a station
wagon full of robots headed north to lead a NECUSE sponsored workshop that
was attended by about 25 faculty and students from Colby, Bates, Bowboin
and Middlebury Colleges.